Lion Pride – An Epilogue
by LazyGeisha
Summary: The epilogue of the Taiwanese drama Lion Pride that I wanted to see on the screen. Takes place after the end of the drama. I don't own anything except what came from my imagination.
1. Chapter 1: Qiang Da and Qiang Wei

**Chapter 1: Qiang Da and Qiang Wei**

 ***Six months after end of last episode***

Qiang Da looked at his phone, smiling at the text he just sent Qiang Wei.

" _Meet me at Jiannan Mountain after work - Master Meow"_

After several months of looking for a teaching job with no luck, Qiang Wei was hired on at the store she loved. In some way, she felt closer to her mother while working with the brands she and her mother loved so much. "I haven't given up on finding a teaching job," Qiang Wei explained to Qiang Da, "but I need to do something until I find one." While he knew it wasn't what she wanted, Qiang Da supported her decision.

Qiang Da fingered the ring box in his pocket, the ring his father meant to give to his mother but never got the chance. _"Sine squared plus cosine squared equals one. I want that one to be forever._ " A shy smile graced his face.

Qiang Wei read her text, sent back _"Okay. Love you. – Queen of Darkness"_. Qiang Wei still liked to tease Qiang Da about his nickname for the woman he fell for in the dark restaurant one night, and that he never knew the two women that intrigued him the most were all the same woman who annoyed him at the start of their relationship. _"A kiss from Dorothy. A kiss from Qiang Wei. And a kiss from the Queen of Darkness,"_ all from the woman who stole his heart before he knew what was happening to him.

Three hours later, Qiang Wei met Qiang Da at the overlook where Qiang Wei first shouted out her frustration with Qiang Da. _"Wang Qiang Da, as a man, you should take responsibility for your actions! Don't think that you're so high and mighty!"_

"So," teased Qiang Da, "do you still think I should 'take responsibility' for my actions?" Qiang Wei blushed, remembering with embarrassment being caught yelling her anger out in front of him.

"I was angry, I didn't really know you, I was-" Qiang Wei rushed to explain.

"I do plan to 'take responsibility'. At least, I hope you'll let me." He pulled out the ring box and opened it. "Qiang Wei, please will you complete our math equation for the rest of our lives? I love you."

Qiang Wei looked at Qiang Da, seeing the fear that she would reject him written on his face, but also the hope that she would say "yes". "I was never good at math," said Qiang Wei, "but this is a problem I want to complete. Yes. YES! I love you too!"

Qiang Da slipped his mother's ring, a ring that caused his mother to doubt his father's innocence, on his love's finger. Qiang Da thought, "The ring will have a happier meaning."


	2. Chapter 2: Tie Bu Fan and Lian Si De

**Chapter 2: Tie Bu Fan and Lian Si De**

"Did Qiang Wei text you anything?" Bu Fan asked Si De as he made her coffee in their kitchen.

After Si De's surgery for leukemia, the doctors thought she was fully recovered. However, 2 months later, right about the time Bu Fan's vacation was over, she had a relapse. Feeling like he was intruding at Qiang Da's home now with the relationship of his two friends deepening, and wanting to help the woman he cared for, Bu Fan overrode Si De's objections and moved into her apartment. "It's right across from my office, I can help you when you need me. Besides, I need to move out of Qiang Da's place." Si De was quietly happy to have Bu Fan move into the second bedroom in the apartment.

"You got one too?" Si De asked.

"Yeah, _'sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) = 1'._ Trust a Math professor to announce his engagement in formulaic-speak."

Laughing, Si De said, "What's Qiang Wei's excuse?"

"Are you tired?" asked Bu Fan. Si De had been going through treatments that left her with little energy. "A little" answered Si De. Bu Fan lifted her in his arms and carried her to the couch. "Tie Bu Fan! I can still walk! Put me down!" Si De exclaimed.

"Nope. As long as I can, I'll use any excuse to have you in my arms." Bu Fan wiggled his eyebrows at her in a lascivious way. Si De burst out laughing and cuddled closer in his arms. "Everything will be okay, Si De. If Qiang Da's father can be found to be innocent after 23 years, then I believe anything can happen."

Si De said in perfect English, "You had me when you said 'Cool.'"


	3. Chapter 3: Qiang Da and Qiang Wei

**Chapter 3: Qiang Da and Qiang Wei**

 ***Four Months Later***

Qiang Da and Qiang Wei's wedding was a very small affair. As neither one had a family other than Qiang Wei's Aunt, they felt there was no need to go through all of the formalities of a large family wedding. Bu Fan and Si De were their witnesses. Ceng Ren Yi, Auntie Hui, Ah Fei (sniffling slightly with emotion through the whole thing), Uncle Xun's daughter Xiao Qian - even Yan Zhang Tai - were all there. Qiang Wei still flinched a bit inside whenever she saw Old Yan, remembering his part in the robbery that killed her parents, burnt down their home and caused her trauma. But if Qiang Da could forgive Uncle Xun for the death of his father, then she could forgive Old Yan.

During the small reception, Qiang Da asked Qiang Wei, "Are you happy?"

While thinking about the past few months, Qiang Wei replied "Yes. I still have some things to work out – like finding a teaching job – but yes, I'm happy. You've become a more contented lion, you don't eat like you're never going to fill up anymore. I sometimes miss my 'Food Goblin'." She laughed. "And I'm not sure I like the way you moved all your things into my room while I was at work one day."

Qiang Da blushed a little. "I didn't want to say 'goodnight' at the door anymore. And I wanted to be away from _that_ wall." She knew he meant the wall where he had all the information from their parents' investigations. "We'll paint it." Qiang Da said, "When we turn it into a nursery." This statement caused Qiang Da to blush even harder. Qiang Wei laughed, "I never knew a lion could blush!"

Qiang Da laughed and settled back in his chair. "Are _you_ happy?" Qiang Wei asked him. Qiang Da thought about the upcoming trials of Zhang Ding Xuan for the accidental murder of Guan Jing Jing, Lian Zhong Yan for the many crimes he ordered and committed, and finally the death of Uncle Xun. While he was glad for Xiao Qian that Uncle Xun died the way he did, a part of him still wished he could have faced a trial for what he did to Qiang Da's family. "Yes", he said softly. "I always wanted to be happy, but I never thought I would be able to find it." He looked at her. "Now I found it with you." He leant over and kissed her nose gently.


	4. Chapter 4: Five Years Later

**Chapter 4: Five Years Later**

Qiang Da stood at the hospital nursery window, gazing down with awe at a baby in a pink blanket. "She's beautiful. Just like her mother," he said as Tie Bu Fan walked up.

"How's Qiang Wei?" asked Bu Fan. "Tired," replied Qiang Da. "How's Si De? I saw her briefly before Qiang Wei kicked me out to 'go look at the baby.'"

"Tired," said Bu Fan.

They both looked back into the nursery at the baby girl, wrapped in a pink blanket under the name tag reading _"Tie Qiji De"._

A voice said "What do you expect after having a baby?" Qiang Wei walked up to them, her steps a little slower in her seventh month of pregnancy. "Si De is sleeping, I think the birth took a lot out of her after everything."

After months of failing treatments, Si De needed a bone marrow transplant to cure her illness. Like something in a drama, it turned out that Bu Fan _could_ donate to Si De. "Bu Fan and Si De got their one in a millionth chance, too" Qiang Da laughed when he heard. Once Si De's health was determined to be good, Bu Fan wasn't waiting any longer and married her as soon as he could. He took a leaf out of Qiang Da's book and moved all his things into Si De's room one afternoon when she went for a checkup. "I'm sick of separate rooms!" he exclaimed when she blushingly protested. "We were going to end up this way, anyway" he grumbled.

After all her treatments, doctors weren't sure that Si De could become – or stay – pregnant. Bu Fan kept telling her it didn't matter, what mattered was that SHE, Si De, was healthy. After two years, when Si De accepted that she may never have a child, they found she was pregnant.

"That's why we called her 'Miraculous'", explained Bu Fan. "Where's your first born?"

"We left Mo Chou with his 'Auntie Qian'," Qiang Wei said, rubbing her lower back. Qiang Da reached over and rubbed it for her, knowing that Qiang Wei was sore and tired out from being with an active three year old most of the day. Qiang Da and Qiang Wei had wanted to name their son after both their fathers, but it turned out that they couldn't find a combination that sounded right. So they chose 'Mo Chou', which meant "free from sadness". After everything that they went through, it was appropriate.

"I think Fate has gifted you with a daughter so you can suffer for all of your playboy ways," Qiang Da teased his friend. "If any boy even _thinks_ of laying his hand on my Qiji De, he's dead. Even your kid!" declared Bu Fan. However, his laughing eyes betrayed his stern voice.

Bu Fan's phone chimed, a text from Ah Fei. "He's on his way, his wife asked him to stop by the store and pick up a gift. Ah Fei has no clue what to get a baby, he'll probably show up with a bike or something stupid."

Ah Fei's wife was a quiet, gentle girl, unlike what he thought was "his style". They met when Ah Fei visited Bu Fan at the rural school while he was vacationing as a temporary Gym teacher. After pursuing her for over a year, Ah Fei managed to persuade her to move to Taipei and make an honest man out of him. She found a job working at Old Yan's cram school teaching Science after Old Gao left – being the only teacher for a bit overwhelmed him, he left teaching to grow apples in the country.

Later that evening, Qiang Wei and Qiang Da retrieved their rambunctious son from his Auntie and settled him in for the night. "Are you happy?" Qiang Da asked Qiang Wei, echoing the question on their wedding day.

"Yes. Are you?"

"Yes," Qiang Da replied. He thought of the gift for his wife he had in their room, another necklace, with "tan(x)" for their children. He _was_ happy.

 _ **The end…**_


End file.
